How to Take Care of Platinum Jewelry

Platinum, the rarest and most precious metal, is very resilient and relatively easy to care for. If you know how to look after your platinum jewelry, it will last and shine indefinitely.

Unique features

Platinum is extremely durable – it is very resistant to high temperatures, cracking and corrosion, due to its high density (that’s why it is also heavier than silver and gold). And because of the denseness of its molecules, polished platinum shines brighter than any other metal. Unlike silver, platinum does not oxidize, so there is no risk of tarnishing. And unlike white gold, platinum is a naturally white metal, so it will not need to be rhodium plated and re-plated to maintain its brightness.

It will, however, scratch (no metal is immune to scratching) and require professional polishing to keep its bright shine – but the good news is, that platinum can be polished over and over again without losing any metal, because of the great atomic strength between its molecules. When it's polished or scratched, the metal is merely displaced, not actually removed or lost.

Platinum’s patina

Platinum might develop a special sheen, or patina, which gives it a grayish hue. The color is due to tiny everyday surface scratches acquired over a period of time. You may prefer to let the metal age naturally and develop patina, which is often considered a unique and desirable feature and one of platinum’s best attributes. The original brightness, if preferred, can be easily restored with buffing and polishing.

Sensible wearing

Take off your platinum jewelry, especially rings, when performing strenuous physical activity or household chores, to avoid scratching. Although platinum itself will not be affected by harsh chemicals, the gemstones included in your jewelry pieces might get damaged – so it’s better to be safe and remember that even your sturdy platinum jewelry can be vulnerable.

Cleaning at home

About once a week, use a homemade jewelry cleaner (gentle detergent and warm water) and a soft cloth or let your jewelry soak in jewelry cleaning solution for 15-20 minutes. Let it dry and polish with soft jewelry cloth or chamois.

Professional maintenance

It’s recommended to take your platinum jewelry to an expert jeweler once or twice a year for inspection. To stay glossy, platinum requires professional polishing, because it takes multiple specialized processes to abrade this dense metal. The professional will polish over any displacements in the metal.

Storage

Store unworn platinum jewelry in a separate container, such as jewelry box, cloth pouch or a sealed plastic bag, to reduce the risk of scratching.